THE rnuGUE^s of science. 



93 



On Februarys, llie Discorcri/ entorod 

 an inlet in tlie Barrier in lonijitudo 

 174°. A balloon was sent up. and a 

 sledfje party examined the land as far 

 as latitude 78° 50'. Near Mounts 

 Erebus and Terror, at the southern ex- 

 tremity of an island, excellent winter 

 quarters were found. The expedition 

 next observed the coast of ^'ictoria 

 Land, extending as far as a conspicu- 

 ous cape in latitude 78° 50'. It was 

 found that mountains do not exist 

 here, and the statement that they 

 were to be foimd is clearly a matter 

 for explanation. Huts for living and 

 for making magnetic observations were 

 erected, and the expedition prepared 

 for wintering. The weather was bois- 

 terous, but a reconnaissance of sledge 

 parties was sent out, during which the 

 seaman Vince lost his life, the remain- 

 der of the party narrowly escaping a 

 similar fate. The ship was frozen in 

 on March 24. The expedition passed 

 a comfortable winter in well sheltered 

 quarters. The lowest recorded tem- 

 perature was 62° below zero. The 

 sledging commenced on September 2, 

 parties being sent out in all directions. 

 Lieutenant Royds, Mr. Skelton, and 

 party successfully established a record 

 in an expedition to Mount Terror, 

 traveling over the Barrier under severe 

 sleighing conditions, with a tempera- 

 ture of 58° below zero. 



Commander Scott, Dr. Wilson and 

 Lieutenant Shackleton traveled 94 

 miles to the south, reaching land in 

 latitude 80° 17' south, longitude 163° 

 west, and establishing a world's record 

 for the furthest point south. The 

 journey was accomplished in most try- 

 ing conditions. Tlie dogs all died, and 

 the three men had to drag the sledges 

 back to the ship. Lieutenant Shackle- 

 ton almost died from exposure, but is 

 now quite recovered. The party found 

 that ranges of high mountains continue 

 throiigh Victoria Land. At the merid- 

 ian of 100° foothills much resembling 

 the Admiralty Range were discovered. 



The ice barrier is jn-csuiiialily alio it. 

 It continues horizontal, and is slowly 

 fed from the land ice. ^lountains ten 

 or twelve thousand feet high were seen 

 in latitude 82° south, the coast line 

 continuing at least as far as 8.3° 20' 

 nearly due south. A party ascending 

 a glacier on the mainland found a new 

 range of mountains. At a height of 

 0,000 feet a level plain was reached 

 unbroken to the west as far as the 

 horizon. The scientific work of the 

 expedition includes a rich collection of 

 marine fauna, of which a large propor- 

 tion are new species. Sea and mag- 

 netic observations were taken, as well 

 as seismographic records and pendu- 

 hnn observations. A large collection 

 of skins and skeletons of southern 

 seals and seabirds has been made. A 

 number of excellent photographs have 

 been taken, and careful meteorological 

 observations were secured. Extensive 

 quartz and grit accumulations were 

 tound horizontally bedded in volcanic 

 rocks. Lava flows were found in 

 the frequently recurring plutonic rock 

 which forms the basement of the moun- 

 tains. Before the arrival of the Morn- 

 ing the Discover}/ had experienced some 

 privation, as part of the supplies had 

 gone bad. This accounted for the 

 death of all the dogs. She has, how- 

 ever, revictualled from the Morning, 

 and the explorers are now in a position 

 to spend a comfortable winter. 



THE NEW YORK FOREST AND 

 GAME COMMISSION. 

 The eighth annual report of the 

 Forest, Fish and Game Commission 

 of Xew York state, recently submitted 

 to the legislature, shows that com- 

 mendable woi'k has been accomplished 

 during the past year. At the begin- 

 ning of the year the Adirondack re- 

 serve contained 1,325,851 acres and the 

 Catskill reserve 82,330 acres, and to 

 these were added 28,505 acres last year. 

 In the Adirondack Park there are also 

 about 700,000 acres of urtfat^VeS&rves 



